The new Ford GT race car for WEC and Le Mans competition unveiled today at Le Mans, France. The Ford GT race car will debut in 2016, and will be campaigned by Chip Ganassi Racing.

The event is the first of nine WEC rounds announced by the FIA for 2016. Ford will later make its historic return to the Le Sarthe circuit in France where, 50 years ago, Ford’s GT40 won the first of four consecutive Le Mans titles.

“We believe the Ford GT’s advances in aerodynamics, light-weighting and EcoBoost power will make for a compelling race car that can once again compete on a global stage,” said Raj Nair, Ford group vice president, Global Product Development and chief technical officer. “The same spirit that drove the innovation behind the first Ford GT still drives us as a company today. Let the racing begin!”

Based on the all-new Ford GT supercar unveiled in January and powered by the same Ford 3.5‑litre EcoBoost engine, the all new Ford GT race car is engineered from advanced lightweight composites featuring carbon fibre for an exceptionally rigid but light chassis.

Both the race car and production car will arrive in 2016 to mark the 50th anniversary of Ford GT40 race cars placing 1-2-3 at the 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans. Ford went on to repeat its victory at Le Mans in 1967, 1968 and 1969.

Alongside the existing eight rounds an additional race will take place in Mexico, to be confirmed as the contract is still being finalised. The 2016 schedule will feature nine races in four continents:

Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Michigan manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 195,000 employees and 66 plants worldwide, the company’s automotive brands include Ford and Lincoln. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford and its products worldwide, please visitwww.corporate.ford.com.

Ford of Europeis responsible for producing, selling and servicing Ford brand vehicles in 50 individual markets and employs approximately 53,000 employees at its wholly owned facilities and approximately 67,000 people when joint ventures and unconsolidated businesses are included. In addition to Ford Motor Credit Company, Ford Europe operations include Ford Customer Service Division and 23 manufacturing facilities (15 wholly owned or consolidated joint venture facilities and 8 unconsolidated joint venture facilities). The first Ford cars were shipped to Europe in 1903 – the same year Ford Motor Company was founded. European production started in 1911.